Early College Start

1. Early College Start WELCOME Future ECS Students & Parents

2. WHAT? • Tuition & Fee WAIVED or low cost college credit classes while still in high school!* -To earn high school, college, and/or ACCTech credits *Depends on where a student resides and/or attends a particular ISD

3. WHAT? • Dual Credit – college course also meets high school graduation requirement (ex. GOVT 2305) • Co-Enrollment – college course not needed for graduation (ex. GOVT 2306) • ACCTech– articulated technical “credit-in-escrow”

4. WHO? • Students who are “Rising Juniors” and have completed their sophomore year • Meet TSI/College Readiness requirements established by the State of Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB).

5. WHEN? • Starting the summer after 10th grade • Ending upon graduation • Students get a total of 12 course waivers = 36 college credit hours (potentially)

6. WHERE? • ECS Students may take classes at their high school before, during, and after the school day (if offered) • ECS Students may also take classes at any ACC campus, Center location, or via Distance Learning

7. WHY? • Save $$$ (potentially 1yr+ of college!) • Earn both high school and college credit • Gain college-level experience while in high school • Stand out on college admission applications • Graduate from college early

8. HOW? See ECS New Student Enrollment Steps handout: • Step 1: Application • Step 2: ACC 101 • Step 3: Testing • Step 4: Advising • Step 5: Registration • Step 6: Payment (if applicable)

9. Very Important Notice for Students & Parents • Even when the student is a minor, once they enroll in a postsecondary institution, they are treated as an adult! • FERPA: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (Federal law) • Students “own” their academic records – no one else may have access without written student consent • Parents not automatically entitled to see underage college student records, including absences, grades, and course progress

10. Very Important Notice for Students • College professors not required to talk with parents; most will interact only with their student • ACC information goes directly to the student via the students ACCmail account (or hard copy/mail) • Course content and student expectations are not altered in any way to accommodate students under 18 • Students pay for textbooks/required materials

11. Very Important Notice for Students Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) • Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA • Students must complete 67% of classes (Completion Rate) • Courses failed and/or dropped with a ‘W’ count towards SAP • Failure to meet SAP requirements may affect financial aid eligibility once the student graduates from HS and attends a 2yr/4yr college or university

12. Good News! • ECS students do better than traditional students in terms of mean GPA and have better persistence from semester to semester • ACC credits transfer seamlessly to Texas public colleges and universities • U.S. Government at ACC = U.S. Government at UT, TAMU, Tx State, etc. • ACC credits can transfer widely to Texas private colleges, as well as out-of-state public and private universities

16. QUESTIONS?

17. Contact Us Zach Denton Early College Start Specialist Austin Community College 5930 Middle Fiskville Road Austin, TX 78752 (512) 223-7361 Email: zdenton@austincc.edu www.austincc.edu/ecs